Mysterious World: I Have a Lost Heavenly Court

Lu Changqing was thrilled.

"Yes!"

"The environment here was created by the collapse of the alchemy furnace!"

He recalled that tiny spark of light at the Taoist temple on the mountaintop...

Scalding hot.

However, it did not have much impact on the surrounding environment.

Now, this land where the elixir fell has become the "Flaming Mountain".

The number of sparks capable of causing such significant environmental changes is probably not small!

"If we could conquer all the alchemical fire in this place..."

"My pure Yang power is likely to undergo a qualitative change!"

"Let's go in and take a look!"

With that thought in mind, Lu Changqing stepped onto the cracked, dry ground and strode in.

The environment here is far more desolate than Falling Star Cliff and Silent Wood Forest.

However, the overall environment is not devoid of vegetation and living things.

He hadn't walked a hundred paces when he saw a dark red spiritual herb in the cracks in the ground.

The leaves are narrow and flame-shaped, with the tips slightly curled upwards and the edges having fine serrations.

【Spiritual Plant - Fire Tongue Grass】

[Efficacy: After drying and grinding into powder, mix into a medicinal bath. Its fire-element essence will penetrate the body through the pores, promoting muscle flexibility and explosive power, strengthening bone density, and accelerating hematopoiesis.]

[Note: The fire will not go out, and the grass will not die. This grass grew from Mars.]

"This spiritual herb, when combined with the medicinal baths used for regular cultivation, will definitely provide significant benefits to someone at the Bone Refining Realm like myself."

Lu Changqing squatted on the ground and looked up at the empty surroundings. "There are so many cracks in the ground, it's not easy to spot this fire tongue grass. I need to search more carefully."

"The environment of the Danyun Land is slightly gentler than that of the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Town."

"At least there aren't any evil spirits or demons that would actively discover you and then attack you."

"We can gather plenty of spiritual plant materials here to enhance our cultivation. Once we reach the Blood Exchange Realm or the Liquid Condensation Realm, we can go back and settle scores!"

Having made plans for his next move, Lu Changqing did not stop. While continuing his search for the starfire of the alchemy furnace, he also began to collect spiritual plants that could enhance his martial arts training.

About half an hour.

Lu Changqing has already collected four or five catties of fire tongue grass!

Looking inside the jade tablet, where spiritual herbs had already piled up into a "mountain," he couldn't help but sigh, "If these things were sold in the Great Qian Dynasty..."

"You definitely can't buy it without a thousand taels of silver!"

Poor scholars, rich warriors.

For example, Huang Hu and Zhao Dahu are both quite old, one in his thirties and the other nearing fifty.

But he barely managed to break through the bone-strengthening and blood-renewing stages.

It's not that they don't work hard or are not diligent, nor that they have exceptionally poor talent or aptitude.

It's simply because ordinary martial artists need to nourish their bodies to achieve mastery.

It's not just about nutrition; there are also other aspects like cultivation and rest, all of which cost money.

The various spiritual plants that provide benefits to ordinary cultivation are sold in pharmacies at exorbitant prices for ordinary families.

Not to mention the age and medicinal effects of the various treasures found in the ancient ruins.

Besides the Fire Tongue Grass, which enhances one's cultivation, Lu Changqing also discovered another spiritual plant.

It is a flower, and due to the environmental factors caused by the fire in the alchemy furnace, it naturally possesses pure yang energy.

【Spiritual Plant: Cinnabar Flower】

[Category: Phyllostachys, Phyllostachys, Pyrophyllales, Cinnabaraceae, Cinnabarus]

[Efficacy: The flower contains a trace of pure Yang energy and should not be ingested. Crush it into powder and mix it into the talisman ink to imbue the talisman with pure Yang power. Crush it into powder and apply it to the body for strong suppression and defense against evil spirits and demons.]

There are fewer cinnabar flowers than fire-tongue grass.

Moreover, this thing has little effect on Lu Changqing himself.

"But my eldest brother, second sister, and Qingyun would really need this!"

"Especially my second sister..."

Lu Changqing's eyes flickered, and the image of the mischievous spirit that had been following him flashed through his mind once again...

"I must find an opportunity tomorrow to subtly remind my second sister!"

"It would be best to imbue all the talismans on my person with pure Yang energy... just in case!"

Immediately, Lu Changqing began to carefully search and advance on the map.

Another half hour passed.

He still didn't encounter any danger!

Overall, I made a fortune tonight.

That's all for now.

"Let's continue tomorrow, otherwise we won't be able to recover our energy and spirit."

...

...

The next day, before dawn.

Lu Changqing got up early in the morning, practiced his sword twice in the courtyard, and then walked through the Hundred Birds Stance again until he was covered in a thin layer of sweat before stopping to rest.

"Young Master, you've worked hard." Qingyun handed him a handkerchief.

Lu Changqing wiped his face and said with a smile, "I'm going out to find my second sister. Qingyun, you don't need to come with me. Go and cultivate too."

"I was in a coma for the past six months, which must have significantly delayed your cultivation progress."

After a brief chat, he left the hospital alone.

His second sister, Lu Yue, lived not far from his secluded courtyard; it was just a short walk through two corridors.

When Lu Changqing reached the courtyard gate, he saw Lu Yue sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, with several sheets of yellow paper in front of her and a talisman pen in her hand, as if she was drawing some kind of talisman.

Hearing footsteps, Lu Yue looked up and saw Lu Changqing, a smile appearing on her face.

"Little brother? Why are you here so early?"

Lu Changqing sat down opposite her, glanced at the talisman paper on the stone table, and asked, "Sister, what kind of talisman are you drawing?"

"Exorcism talisman." Lu Yue put down the talisman brush and rubbed her wrist. "Although things are stable at the mine for now, my master is not here, and there aren't many people available at the temple. I'll draw a few more to keep in reserve; it's always good to have some on hand."

Lu Changqing nodded and casually asked, "Has the abbot not returned yet?"

"I don't know, I've been away on a trip for too long this time." Lu Yue paused, a hint of helplessness in her voice. "The senior brother is mostly in charge of things at the temple now, I just help out."

Upon hearing the words "Senior Brother," Lu Changqing's eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. He simply followed up the conversation by asking:

"That Senior Brother Qin seems quite amiable to me."

"When did he enter Qingfeng Temple? I don't think I've heard you mention him much before."

"Senior Brother Qin?" Lu Yue thought for a moment, "He became Master's disciple seven years ago."

"When the master brought him back, he only said that he had found a poor child outside, but that he had good potential, so he took him in."

"He has been practicing with his master all these years, living a secluded life and having a peaceful personality, so he doesn't talk to you much."

She smiled and said, "But Senior Brother is a really good person. During the time Master was away, he took care of all the big and small things in the temple, and he also took care of his junior brothers and sisters."

"You saw him at the mine yesterday; he was very thoughtful in his words and actions."

Lu Changqing paused for a moment, then said casually, "Sister, there's something about his smile that I feel is a little off."

"It's so...warm, like it's been pasted on."

Lu Yue was taken aback, then chuckled: "Little brother, you don't know, he's always been like this since he was a child. He's always polite to everyone, always with a smile on his face, and he's always been like this."

Looking into his second sister's clear eyes, Lu Changqing didn't know how to describe the mischievous joy in her eyes.

Should we just break through the barrier directly?

However, his current strength is simply insufficient to prove this.

In the end, he just smiled and said, "Then I guess I was overthinking it."

He took a small cloth bag out of his pocket, placed it on the stone table, and pushed it in front of Lu Yue.

The cloth bag contained several handfuls of dark red powder, faintly emitting a warm scent.

"Sis, keep this."

"If you encounter evil spirits, or a demon you can't defeat, or in case of an emergency, just apply this to your body."

"When making the exorcism talisman later, mix some ink into it. Note that this kind of exorcism talisman, with some ink mixed in, can only be used by you, sister!"

Lu Yue took the cloth bag, lowered her head and smelled it. She felt a surge of heat flow into her nostrils, and her heart warmed.

She asked in surprise, "What is this?"

Lu Changqing met her gaze, offered no explanation, and simply said, "This is not easy to explain."

"But you just need to trust your brother."

Lu Yue opened her mouth, the question she wanted to ask swirled in her throat, but she ultimately swallowed it back.

She carefully tied the cloth bag, tucked it into her bosom, and nodded.

"it is good."

As Lu Changqing watched his second sister carefully place the cloth bag close to her body, the tension in his heart eased slightly.

At least, my second sister now has a layer of protection.

As for that guy surnamed Qin, he can't be touched for the time being.

We still need to improve our strength!

The siblings chatted for a few more minutes before Lu Changqing took his leave.

...

"Third Young Master! Third Young Master!"

Lu Changqing had not gone far from his second sister's courtyard when he saw Lu Erwa running towards him, his face showing excitement and urgency.

"What's wrong?"

Lu Erwa caught his breath. "Officer Zhou Wu is here! He brought people from the county government with him! He said the county magistrate himself is here to present you with an award, Third Young Master!"

Lu Changqing was taken aback. "An award?"

"Yes! The Zheng family colluded with evil spirits the night before last, and you killed so many demons on the street last night, Third Young Master."

"Both of these matters have been reported to the authorities by Constable Zhou Wu! The county government says it's a great achievement, and the county magistrate himself came to the Lu family today to commend you in front of the neighbors!"

Lu Erwa became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing with both hands, "Third Young Master, you didn't see it, the county government officials have already set up a stage in the open space of the square, and there are quite a few neighbors gathered around, all talking about you!"

"You'd better change your clothes and go over there quickly!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Changqing's thoughts raced, and he nodded, saying, "Go and call Manager Wu."

"I'll also go and inform Qingyun that we'll meet at the main gate."

...

...

In Heishan County, the usually empty square was now packed with people.

A large red silk cloth was spread on a platform made up of several square tables, and a large crowd of people surrounded the platform.

Further up on the second floor of the teahouse, the windows were all open, and several tables of tea drinkers had stopped drinking tea and were leaning out to look down.

When Lu Changqing arrived, a wave of noise from the crowd rushed over him.

"Is that the third young master of the Lu family? He doesn't seem like it. Wasn't he supposed to be quite lazy?"

"That's an old almanac from who-knows-when! I saw him come back from the mine the other night, covered in blood, and his eyes were different from before."

"My cousin works in the mines. He came back and said that Young Master Lu killed one of the Zheng family's retainers on the spot with a single punch. Is that true?"

"Shh—keep your voice down, someone's coming!"

Lu Changqing stood down from the stage, with Qingyun and Wu Lin following behind him on either side.

Zhou Wu was already waiting on the side of the stage. When he saw him arrive, he nodded to him.

On the stage, the county magistrate was a middle-aged civil official with gray hair and a thin build. He wore a blue official robe and had a gentle but dignified face.

He coughed lightly, and the surroundings gradually quieted down.

"Recently, there have been a series of incidents in Heishan County where evil spirits and demons have been causing trouble."

"First, the mines outside the city were deliberately sabotaged, and then the evil followers of the Ten Thousand Immortals Army hid in the city with malicious intentions."

The county magistrate's voice wasn't loud, but everyone present could hear it clearly.

"Lu Changqing is the third son of the Lu family."

"First, he assisted the county government in cracking the mine's conspiracy and uncovering the traitor who colluded with the demons; then last night, he single-handedly pursued the remnants of the Ten Thousand Immortals Army, killing more than a dozen demons and protecting the peace of the local people."

"Such loyalty and bravery should serve as a model for our Heishan County."

He looked down at the handsome young man in the audience.

"Lu Changqing, step forward to listen to the appreciation."

Lu Changqing stepped onto the stage, stood before the county magistrate, and bowed.

A yamen runner carrying a wooden tray covered with red silk walked up from behind the county magistrate.

The county magistrate raised his hand and lifted the red silk, revealing three items on the plate.

A jade-white token, warm and smooth, with a faint glow.

Next to it was a palm-sized celadon medicine bottle, with a wax seal on the mouth.

On the far right is a small pile of dark gold ore, which reflects a faint, cold glint in the sunlight.

"On behalf of the Heishan County government, I hereby bestow upon you two gifts."

The county magistrate picked up the jade token. "This is a first-class merit token. With this token, you can receive one set of cultivation resources per month from any government-run pharmacy, martial arts school, or weapons shop within Heishan County for a period of one year."

He put down the jade pendant and picked up the celadon medicine bottle. "There are three Bone Tempering Pills in the bottle."

"This pill is not easy to refine and is specially designed for martial artists in the Bone Refining Realm. One pill is equivalent to three months of hard training for an ordinary martial artist."

"After taking it, the bones will be as hard as refined iron, and the power will penetrate to the bone marrow."

The martial artists below the stage, who had been whispering among themselves, fell silent for a moment upon hearing the words "Bone Tempering Pill."

Then, a sound wave several times louder than before suddenly exploded.

"Bone Tempering Pills? The county government is actually giving away Bone Tempering Pills as a reward? Our martial arts school hasn't gotten one of those in years!"

"Three pills right off the bat! Three Bone Tempering Pills are enough to save an ordinary Bone Refining Realm martial artist half a year's worth of hard work!"

"..."

Amidst the rising and falling murmurs, those at the back stood on tiptoe to peer forward, while those at the front were jostled and unable to stand steadily. Several teenagers squeezed through the gaps between the adults' legs, looking up at Lu Changqing on the stage with curiosity in their eyes.

Lu Changqing's expression didn't change much, but his heart definitely skipped a beat.

Bone-tempering pill.

This thing is very precious!

It's expensive but there's no market for it!

It is a very rare and precious elixir that is extremely difficult to produce and is almost never available on the market.

This is indeed a great help to his current martial arts cultivation at the Bone Refining Realm.

Lu Changqing accepted the wooden tray with both hands and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Magistrate."

He straightened up, his gaze sweeping across the dense crowd below the stage.

Familiar or unfamiliar faces were all looking at him, their eyes filled with admiration, envy, and a hint of scrutiny.

Finally, he slowly walked off the stage.

Standing on the side of the stage, Qingyun watched the young master's composed figure amidst the gazes of the crowd, and felt her heart pounding wildly.

She straightened her back slightly, a hint of pride on her face.

Just as Lu Changqing was about to step down from the stage with the wooden tray, the county magistrate spoke again.

"Please be patient, gentlemen. There is one more matter to announce today."

Lu Changqing stopped and looked back.

The gazes of the people below the stage shifted from the wooden tray and refocused on the county magistrate.

The county magistrate stepped aside and made a "please" gesture towards the platform.

A young Taoist priest, dressed in a gray-blue robe and with a round, gentle face, walked out from behind the stage with a smile.

Qin Yuan, the senior disciple of Qingfeng Temple.

Lu Changqing handed the items to Qingyun, his face remaining calm, but his mind was racing.

"He's here!"

"They've still connected with the county magistrate... What are they doing on behalf of Qingfeng Temple?"

Qin Yuan stood at the front of the stage, bowed to the county magistrate, and nodded slightly to the people below.

His face still wore that warm, inviting smile, and his round face looked especially approachable in the sunlight.

"Recently, the evil spirits outside Heishan County have become increasingly strong. In addition, with the end of the year approaching, it is the time of year when evil spirits and demons are most active."

Qin Yuan's voice is warm and gentle, spoken at a measured pace, making it sound believable.

"On behalf of Qingfeng Temple, I humbly request the county government to send a talisman to every household in Heishan County to ensure peace and safety at the end of the year."

Upon hearing this, some people in the audience immediately showed joy, but most were still skeptical.

At this moment, a man in his forties, dressed in a coarse cloth short jacket, squeezed half his body out from the crowd, looked up, and asked loudly:

"This Taoist priest!"

"You said you'd send us spirit talismans, but we're just ordinary folks who don't know martial arts or cultivation. Even if we wanted to use them, we wouldn't know how to activate them!"

This question clearly resonated with most of the people present.

A murmur of discussion immediately arose from the audience, with many nodding in agreement.

Qin Yuan seemed to have anticipated this question. He smiled slightly, took out a yellow paper and cinnabar talisman from his sleeve, held it between two fingers, and raised it in front of everyone.

The talisman's patterns glowed faintly red in the sunlight, and dark veins flowed subtly deep within the cinnabar, as if a living thing was breathing within it.

"This talisman is extraordinary." Qin Yuan's voice was as gentle as ever, yet it reached the ears of everyone present clearly:

"All you need to do is prick your fingertip and drip a drop of blood onto the talisman, and the talisman will automatically recognize you as its owner, protect your home, and ward off evil spirits."

"Even ordinary people who have never practiced can use it freely."

The crowd below was taken aback at first, and then a wave of even more enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd.

"What? It works with just a drop of blood? No need for any blood, energy, or spiritual power?"

"So we can use it too? Qingfeng Temple is genuinely trying to protect us this time!"

"This is wonderful! In previous years, we were always on edge around the New Year, afraid to let the children go out at night. Now with this talisman, we won't be afraid anymore!"

"The imperial court and the Taoist temples still care about us ordinary people! That's wonderful, truly wonderful!"

Cheers and exclamations of praise rose and fell.

The people's faces were red from the sun, but they couldn't suppress their smiles.

Some people have already started pushing forward, wanting to ask when they can get the talisman and where to get it.

Qin Yuan stood on the stage, looking at the waves of cheers rising and falling below, his face still bearing that compassionate and gentle smile.

The county magistrate stood beside him, his face showing approval, clearly quite satisfied with the people's enthusiastic response.

He put away the talisman and gave a slight bow to the noisy crowd below the stage, his posture humble and proper.

Then he turned around and retreated behind the county magistrate, his gaze inadvertently sweeping across the crowd, and met Lu Changqing's eyes.

Qin Yuan smiled slightly and nodded gently to Lu Changqing, his demeanor no different from that when facing ordinary people.

Lu Changqing smiled and nodded at him.

His heart sank.

Joyful Buddha.

Wan Xianjun.

An evil spirit, whose identity has been confirmed, is now standing beside the county magistrate and in front of all the people of Heishan County, distributing talismans to each household with a compassionate and kind smile.

He wasn't sure if the talisman could actually ward off evil spirits.

But what he saw was the eerie veins deep within the cinnabar on the talisman, which shared a similar underlying tone with the chilling aura emanating from the left and right guardians when they used blood magic.

More importantly, this talisman requires a drop of blood to activate.

Essence and blood! The essence and blood of a living person!

Logically speaking, among ordinary people, perhaps only one in a hundred is a martial arts practitioner or a Taoist practitioner.

Ordinary people lack spiritual power and blood, so using blood as a substitute to activate a spiritual talisman might make sense.

In the eyes of the county magistrate and the people, this was a reasonable and good solution.

But ironically, it was Qin Yuan who proposed this method.

Then this is not a policy that benefits the people.

The left and right protectors of the Blood Debt Hall had just died, the Zheng family had just been uprooted, and the Wanxian Army's plans had not yet been fully exposed.

Qin Yuan, who had been hiding in Qingfeng Temple for seven years or even longer, stepped forward at this moment and distributed a talisman requiring blood essence to every household in Heishan County...

The crowd below the stage was still cheering, their laughter and thanks blending into a lively cacophony. Qin Yuan had already retreated behind the county magistrate, bowing his head and speaking to him.

His posture remained as humble and proper as before.

The county magistrate nodded repeatedly, his face showing satisfaction.

"This can't possibly be a coincidence!"

Lu Changqing was certain.

This talisman, let alone exorcising evil, might actually attract evil!

Even providing for them!

Once this idea came to mind, it seemed to confirm the right direction, and it wouldn't leave my mind!

The abbot of Qingfeng Temple has not returned from his travels...

The evil spirits were openly distributing talismans to the people of Heishan County in broad daylight...

Lu Changqing had only one thought: Heishan County and Qingfeng Temple had fallen...

A sense of crisis spread like a tide.

This made his heart race and even feel like he was suffocating.

"We must achieve a breakthrough as soon as possible!"